Energy
by NSaynKnutt
Summary: There was a time when anyone could bend all the elements. Now allbenders are few and far between, and hunted by a fearful world. Follow Kieran as he uncovers the secrets of those who could bend that mysterious element, energy. Very AU. All characters mine. Rated T just in case. No language, no slash.
1. Prologue

**Preface**

The following story is loosely set in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. By loosely set, I mean that I liked the idea of four nations bending four elements and decided to run with it. This story does not follow the Airbender timeline. There is no Avatar, although there are still people who can bend all of the elements. This is not intended to be a prologue to the series or to fit in with it in any way whatsoever. This is just me having fun in a modified version of that world.

That said, please enjoy the story.

* * *

**Prologue**

Zhen stared at the crowd that surrounded him. He knew why they were here. It was the very same reason that had forced him from his home and caused him to seek solace in this place: energybending.

For thousands of years, stories had been told of the energybenders. It was said that at the dawn of time, anyone could bend any of the elements. Most people would focus on learning one or two, but there were some who mastered all four. These masters discovered a new element called energy. No one knew exactly how it worked, but it was thought that energybenders could take away another person's powers.

In time, the energybenders rose up against the rest of the world in a long and bloody war. They stole the powers of the common people until there was almost no one left to challenge them. But somehow, someone managed to drive the energybenders back. The aggressors were systematically destroyed until none were left. Those few benders who survived the war could bend only one of the four elements, and nations formed around these new groups of benders. Generations passed, and gradually the world adjusted to the new system.

But ever since, if a child was born with the ability to bend all the elements, he was marked. No one wanted a repeat of the Energy War, and anyone with the potential for energybending was killed.

Such was the case here. Zhen watched the crowd carefully, thinking about what his gift had cost him. Rejection from his family, fleeing for his life–it had all been because he was an allbender. Zhen had managed to conceal his abilities for years now, but he had known that he would not be able to hide forever. Here, now, it all came to a head. Zhen would die tonight, he knew. But that didn't matter. All that mattered were those he fought for. They had to have time to escape. He hoped they were far from here already, but still he stood, trying to gain them a few more precious seconds.

Zhen saw the change in the crowd seconds before they rushed at him. Taking a slight step back, he released a wave of fire that forced some back while others screamed in pain from the flames. Zhen felt projectiles hit his face as benders in the crowd began to propel things his direction. He threw up a wall of ice and jumped over it, spreading yet more fire in his path. His attackers had sorely underestimated him. Zhen battled on the left, right, front, and rear, doing anything to keep the crowd's attention on himself. As long as they're thinking about me, they can't be looking for them, he thought.

But even he could not keep so many at bay indefinitely. Zhen was beginning to tire. Countless projectiles pierced his body. He didn't have time to heal himself. Suddenly he was thrown to the ground. The people stormed over him, and he tasted something metallic in his mouth. Zhen felt himself go numb, and the world faded to black.


	2. Chapter 1

**Part I: Kieran**

**Chapter 1**

Kieran looked out over the expanse of water and went through the stances again. He was pleased to see a wave rise before him. Continuing his move, he brought the water around himself in an arc before returning it to the ocean.

His mother, Taana, nodded approvingly at him. "Very good," she said. "Now pass it to me."

Kieran grinned. Passing water between two waterbenders was a difficult move. If his mother thought he was ready to attempt it, he must be progressing far, indeed.

Kieran was only ten, but he was already farther ahead in his training than most of the teenagers in his village. His mother was the village healer and had been teaching him waterbending since he was four. Kieran was convinced that she must be the best waterbender in the world.

It took a while, but eventually Kieran was able to pass the water to his mother without spilling any in the transition. He watched in fascination as she put the liquid through several complicated moves before shooting it out over the ocean like a missile. She looked at him and smiled. "I think that's enough for today," she said. "Why don't you go play now? I need to make my rounds."

She turned and began walking through the snow back to the village. Kieran followed her, watching as small igloos began to appear in the distance. There was a harbor closer to the arctic village where Kieran and his mother lived, but Taana thought it best if her son stayed far away from any innocent bystanders while practicing bigger waterbending moves. As the small ice houses grew more densely packed, Kieran kicked at the snow on the surface of the glacier, allowing his mother to go on ahead while he drifted behind. He watched carefully until she disappeared behind a house. Smiling mischievously, Kieran glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention and hurried back out to the ocean to practice some more.

Taana smiled to herself. Let the boy practice if he wanted. The more he learned, the better. As she walked through the village, she overheard a group of men talking.

"They spotted another Fire Nation ship close to Karta."

"That's twice this week. It won't be long before they come here..."

Worry creased Taana's brow as she continued on her rounds. The Water Tribe and the Fire Nation had been at war with each other for as long as anyone could remember. No one knew what had started the conflict, but for hundreds of years, the two nations had pitted their forces against each other in a battle for domination that neither seemed able to win. Taana had come to this remote village in the hope of escaping the conflict, but it seemed the Fire Nation navy was making more and more advances near their position. Sooner or later, the war she had fled would catch up with her.

* * *

Several hours later, Kieran walked through the door of his home. Taana was inside with a patient. She saw him come through the door and beckoned for him to come sit next to her. As Kieran sat down, his mother turned slightly to face him.

"Kieran, can you help me? What happened to this man?"

The cause of the patient's discomfort was readily apparent. "He broke his leg," Kieran replied, slightly confused. He didn't know why she was asking him.

"That's right," his mother told him. "How should his leg be treated?"

Kieran frowned. "Well, you need to set the bone, and then get it started healing." He still couldn't figure out why his opinion mattered.

"That's right," she said again. "Why don't you try it?"

Kieran stared at her. Never in his life had he actually treated anyone. His mother had taught him many healing techniques, and he had practiced them multiple times, but usually he healed seals, penguins, or a sick dog. He had never healed an actual human being. Most of the villagers didn't like the idea of putting their lives in the hands of a ten-year-old boy.

This villager, apparently, was no different. The man stared at Taana. "Are you sure?" he asked nervously, "Because, you know, if you'd like to do it yourself . . ."

"No," Taana said simply. "Kieran can do it." She scooted over so Kieran could have her spot.

Kieran's mouth went dry as he leaned over the man. Taking a deep breath, he grasped the man's leg in his small hands. Grimacing, he popped the bone back into place. The patient gave a yelp. Kieran's mother said nothing. Kieran glanced at her. She watched him with an innocent expression. Okay, so he was on his own.

Kieran reached into the bowl of water next to him and bent out some water. Placing his hands over the man's leg, he began to heal the wound.

No one was quite sure how it worked, but for some reason, waterbenders had healing abilities. Kieran couldn't even understand it himself. He just knew how to activate the water somehow. When he activated water, suddenly it was like he could see any part of a person, just by moving the water over them. He could see how everything fit together, or was supposed to fit together, and he could control the pieces. Right now, he could feel the jagged edges of the broken bone in the man's leg, aligned but not yet healed. He put all of his concentration into smoothing those edges, making the two pieces of bone come back together as one.

When he finished, Kieran looked to his mother for approval. She was talking to the patient.

"It appears your leg has been healed to the point where you won't even need a cast. Looks like you didn't need me after all." She winked at Kieran.

As the patient hurried out of the house, Kieran heaved a sigh of relief. His mother turned to him. "You did a very good job with his leg," she said approvingly.

Kieran blushed. "I just hope he thinks so," he replied.

Taana stood up. "He will," she assured her son. "You have greatly improved since you first healed that baby seal. In fact, I think you're ready for a whole new application of healing. Get up early tomorrow morning, and I'll take you to the ocean and teach you."

Kieran's eyes widened in excitement. Healing had always come more easily to him than any other waterbending technique. He was just good at it. Whatever this new application was, Kieran couldn't wait to learn it.

Kieran had trouble sleeping all that night. A few hours before dawn, he woke his mother excitedly.

Taana gave him a bemused smile and got up. Her son had waited long enough, and it would be better if they left while most of the village was asleep, anyway.

She took Kieran out farther than usual before stopping. She looked out across the water in the darkness and listened to the sound of the waves. They were alone.

"Kieran, do you know what it means to be a master?" she asked.

Kieran's face fell at what sounded like the beginning of a long lecture. "It means that you've mastered all the techniques of your ability so that you can perform them easily and teach them to others," he answered.

Taana shook her head. "That's what they teach you in school, Kieran, but a master is so much more. To truly master waterbending, you must learn it until it becomes second nature. The water must be a constant extension of yourself. A true master doesn't just learn and teach techniques; he can invent new ones if the need arises."

Taana turned away from the expanse of the ocean to look at her son. "The technique I'm about to teach you is one that I invented. It requires great concentration and a lot of time. You must be extremely careful if you ever use it."

Kieran nodded solemnly. Taana knelt in the snow in the light of the lantern, and Kieran knelt beside her.

"You know how healing works," she began. "You activate some water and use it to examine and fit together the torn pieces of something or someone that is injured. What most healers don't realize is that you can also use healing water to rearrange healthy cells."

Kieran's eyebrows furrowed. "Why would anyone want to do that?"

A sudden sadness came over Taana's face. "Kieran," she began, "Right now we feel safe, but that doesn't mean we always will be. One day, there may come a time when we have to leave. If that day ever comes, this technique will allow you to change your face so that no one will recognize you. Watch."

Taana activated some water out of the ocean and brought it to bear on her left hand. "You must feel the tissue that forms your nose and other facial features, and change it."

As Kieran watched, a small lump appeared on his mother's hand. Kieran stared at his mother in amazement.

"There are two things you must always remember when you use this technique," Taana instructed. "The first is that this is a drastic measure that is very painful. Never use it lightly. The second is that if you ever have to change your face more than once, _always_ go back to your original face first. Changing from one fake face to another will make you forget what you used to look like, and you could end up permanently disfiguring yourself." The lump on Taana's hand slowly vanished.

"Now, get some water for yourself and we'll practice," she said.

Kieran swallowed nervously and followed his mother's example.

* * *

As the sun began to rise, Taana smiled at Kieran. "I think you've got it," she told him. She started to say something else, but hesitated. Finally, she said, "Kieran, there are some things you need to know."

Kieran followed as she stood up and began to walk, not back toward the village, but farther away.

"Pay close attention to where we're going," Taana told him. "You need to be able to find your way there by yourself if anything happens to me." She saw the concern on Kieran's face, but he said nothing.

Taana led him far out across the white expanse until they came to a cluster of outcroppings jutting out of the glacier. At the base of one of these outcroppings was a cave. Taana led her son inside and knelt on the ice. "Put your hand on the ice," she told Kieran.

He obeyed.

"Can you feel a bundle deep beneath the surface?"

Kieran closed his eyes and extended his senses down through the ice. It was difficult, but he thought he could feel some sort of object far below the surface. "I think I found it."

"Pull it up."

Carefully, Kieran manipulated the ice of the glacier to bring the strange object to the surface. It was a bundle of some sort. Looking to his mother for approval, Kieran opened it and pulled out several scrolls. One was very large and looked like it might have other writings stuffed inside it. The others were fairly small. "What are these?" he asked.

"These scrolls contain very dangerous knowledge that must not be destroyed," Taana told him. "One day, you will be ready to read them, but not yet."

Kieran was confused. "Then why are you showing them to me?"

Taana looked away. "Because whatever happens, you have to make sure these aren't lost." She picked up the smallest scroll. "This scroll contains directions to a Water Tribe village on the coast of the main continent. If anything happens to me, I want you to come here and get these scrolls, change your face, and travel to that village. There's a woman there named Jarka who'll take care of you. If you forget anything, the instructions are in here, but you have to remember where the scrolls are hidden."

Kieran looked at his mother with a concerned expression. "Why do you keep saying that?"

Taana blinked. "What?"

"'If anything happens to me.' You've been saying it a lot."

Taana looked at her son and was struck by how small he looked. Her expression softened and she pulled him into her arms. "The world is a dangerous place, Kieran," she told him. "It's getting more dangerous every day. I don't know how long I'll be here to protect you. I just want to make sure you're safe when I'm gone. Promise me you'll do what I said."

Kieran nodded.

Taana turned his face up to look at her. "Promise me," she insisted.

"I promise."


End file.
